Lovin' Feelin'
by PricklySare
Summary: A mental health day leads to an unexpected Surprise at Shorty's.


Lovin' Feelin'

By: PricklySare

**A/N: As usual, I don't own them. I'm only playing. :) This story is brought to you by the wonderful conversations in our groups. :) I got the idea when someone said something about a singing Ranger being like Mooner talking to children about not doing drugs. As well as a comment about picturing Ranger and Tank singing, 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' a la Top Gun. :) I hope you enjoy. --Sare**

I was sitting at Shorty's with Ranger and the guys, relaxing after a really long week. I'd been up to my eyeballs in sneaky skips and had done my fair share of rolling in the trash that litters the streets of Trenton. If ever I was in need of a mental health day, today was probably it. After all, the day couldn't have been any stranger. I had gone to pick up Mooner to shuttle him once again, back to the police station to get rebonded; only he wasn't at home. His sometimes roommate, Dougie told me that he was volunteering at the neighborhood elementary school.

When I arrived at Little Leaf Elementary School, I thought that maybe I was dreaming. I had to be dreaming. Otherwise, I was definitely going insane. Standing in the gym in front of the entire population of children, was Mooner. He was wearing a black tee-shirt with the highly recognizable _D.A.R.E_ logo in red emblazoned across his chest. _What the hell?_ I'd thought to myself. I had to be in an episode of the _Twilight Zone_; or maybe, _Punk'd._ I looked around for Ashton Kutcher, you never knew with my life. When I didn't see any movie cameras, or famous people getting ready to jump out screaming at me I refocused on Mooner.

He had a microphone in his hand and was explaining to the children the reasons why they should stay away from drugs. He was actually sounding like a smart guy. Gone was the dingy looking long hair, and the red rimmed eyes. Mooner was cleaned up, and he didn't even smell like pot. _What the hell happened to Mooner? _ I was convinced he had to have been taken by the pod people.

An hour later I had him rebonded and was one may way home. This day was too weird. I hadn't even bothered to ask him how or why he was suddenly different. I don't think I would have believed him anyway. I'm sure the pod people will release him sooner or later, right?

Looking around me I felt oddly at peace; considering we were at Shorty's and I still wasn't convinced that all the stains were actually made from pizza sauce, that was strange. I let that thought pass.

Ranger and Lester were sitting on either side of me, our backs to the wall. Tank and Bobby were lounging across from us sipping cold beer out of large frosted pilsners. The smells of pizza wafted around us and for once my stomach wasn't growling. Lester's massive thigh was pressed tightly against my leg, and Ranger had his arm draped casually, yet possessively, over my shoulders. I, Stephanie Plum, was the creamy white filling of a sexy mercenary sandwich. Be still my heart.

Conversation flowed around me, but I honestly had no idea what was being said. I was too busy trying to figure out if I was dreaming or not. This day had been too weird, and it looked like it was about to get weirder. I felt Ranger slide out from beside me at the same time as Tank got up from the other side of the table. _What the hell was going on now?_ I stayed silent and just watched them.

A few minutes later Shorty's got quiet. I had a weird feeling about this. Actually I was feeling a sense of Deja Vu, and I wasn't sure why. The lights dimmed, and I paused when a stray thought floated through my head. _Since when did Shorty's have dimming lights?_ Then a spotlight came on. _What the fuck?_ There standing in the spotlight were Tank and Ranger.

Their black cargoes and black Rangeman shirts hugged every curve of their well muscled bodies, and I felt my panties dampen. Next to me Lester scooted closer and draped his arm over my shoulders.

They walked over to our table and stood directly in front of me, waiting until I looked up. As soon as I did I heard the opening notes of a familiar song. _Oh no. They wouldn't. Would they?_

"You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips. And there's no tenderness like before in your fingertips," Ranger's smooth voice came out, covered me. Tank joined in and they sang together, "You're trying hard not to show it, (baby). But baby, baby I know it..."

What the Hell was going on? Tank and Ranger... singing? No fucking way. Ranger didn't sing. He was too bad ass to sing. Hell, and Tank? Never. Right? This moment was giving me strange visions of Top Gun, and I couldn't help but feel my heartbeat jump up another notch. Damn was this sexy. Suddenly, I was surrounded by the sounds of Shorty's breaking into song. "You've lost that lovin' feeling. Whoa, that lovin' feeling,. You've lost that lovin' feeling, now it's gone...gone...gone...whooooa." _ Jesus Christ on a pogo stick. Lula wasn't going to believe she missed this. _

"Now there's no welcome look in your eyes when I reach for you. And now you're starting to criticize little things I do..." I found myself wanting to do nothing more than lick Ranger as he stood there serenading me.

"It makes me just feel like crying, (baby).'Cause baby, something in you is dying," Tank actually had a beautiful voice. Who knew. I suddenly had a thought of what it would sound like screaming my name. _Oops. Don't go there, Stephanie!_ Each of the men I called my family were heroes. They protected me whenever I needed it, even at great risk to themselves, **and each man stands with his face in the light of his own drawn sword. Ready to do what a hero can. **It just so happened that this time it involved singing. Amazing.

When Ranger got down on his knees I thought my heart was going to stop beating and I was going to keel over dead. "Baby, baby, I get down on my knees for you," his hand was warm, strong, and rough against my face, and I couldn't help but lean into it. "If you would only love me like you used to do, yeah." _Oh, but I do, Ranger. I really do._ "We had a love...a love...a love you don't find everyday. So don't...don't...don't...don't let it slip away. _I had no plans of letting that happen. No sir-re-bob. Nuh uh. Not this time. _

Suddenly there was a shooting pain through my body and I screamed. I couldn't help it. The pain was like a blinding hot poker that was being dragged through my body. "Ranger.... help....me..." I managed to gasp out.

"Babe...stay with me..." I heard him say. I was trying, but it was hurting so much.

I struggled to speak, to say something. Anything, but I couldn't. Then just as suddenly as the pain was there. It was gone, and the world went black.

I felt like I was crawling through a fog, and it was as thick as pea soup. I figured that maybe I could pull a Scooby Doo and cut it with a knife. If I had a knife. I could really use a knife...and what the hell was that sound. It was driving me nuts. It was an incessant beeping. Ugh.

Something rough rubbed gently against my face and a familiar scent filled my nose. _Ranger._ Aww, crap. That means the beeping sound is coming from monitors... _shit._ I was in the hospital. Again. I knew it had to be a dream.

Opening my eyes wasn't as easy as one would think. It felt like they were being held closed by lead weights. Not a pleasant feeling. "Come on, Babe. Come back to me," Ranger's voice filled my head.

I decided to forgo opening my eyes and tried instead to speak. My voice came out soft and croaky. "What happened to Shorty's?" I asked. I hadn't meant to, that wasn't what I'd planned to say; it just came out.

"What do you mean, Babe?"

"Ugh," was the only response I could get out. I decided to give opening my eyes another shot. This time it worked. Kind of. I could see, but things were out of focus and fuzzy. Not a comfortable way to see the world. "What..." I tried to swallow and found my throat felt like sandpaper. I felt, more than saw, a straw at my lips, and I took a few healthy sips. "What happened?" I finally managed to ask.

Ranger grabbed my hand and slowly rubbed his thumb back and forth across the top. "You were heading into the bond's office, and you were shot. Point blank." Ranger's voice sounded funny to me, but I couldn't figure out how.

"Oh," I said. I mean, really. What was there to say to that?

"I almost lost you, Babe. Your heart stopped... I almost lost you," His voice faded off and I finally knew why he sounded funny. He was scared. Big bad Batman, was scared. _Holy Shit!_

"Well, you didn't. So what are you going to do about it?" I asked him. **They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.** I was done waiting for time to make my life better. I was going to do it myself.

"**Trouble is a part of life, and if you don't share it, you don't give the person who loves you a chance to love you enough.** Babe, I love you more than anything. Ten lifetimes wouldn't be long enough for me to show you just how much I love you." He leaned closer to me, his lips just a breath from mine, "I want to share my trouble with you. I want to share in your troubles. Let me be your Batman."

My voice was still croaky, but I needed to say this. "Ranger, **some people are settling down, some people are settling, and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies.**" I watched as sadness crossed his face. Seeing that caused me pain and I held his hand as he tried to pull away. "You give me butterflies, Ranger. Only you. Always you," I said.

The smile that he gave me was worth being shot. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, and his smile radiated happiness. "I love you, Stephanie."

"I love you too, Batman." He brushed his lips against mine and I felt myself grin. "You think you and Tank could sing for me?" I asked him. I'd done the unimaginable. I'd made Batman speechless.

The End

Word Count: 1788 with out A/N or disclaimer

Includes prompts from: Babe_Squad Challenge and PerfectlyPlum Challenge.

Lyrics: The Righteous Brother. 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling'


End file.
